


Looking at the Stars, Admiring from Afar

by ollypopp



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Everyone Is Gay, F/F, FinnPoe is HIGHLY implied but it is also background, First Kiss, Mutual Pining, Reader-Insert, WLW & MLM Solidarity, Yearning, one (1) dirty joke, slipping the tongue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:54:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25117951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ollypopp/pseuds/ollypopp
Summary: During some downtime in between missions, Rey asks you to teach her how to swim.
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Finn, Rey (Star Wars)/Reader, Rey/Reader
Comments: 1
Kudos: 64





	Looking at the Stars, Admiring from Afar

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place sometime during TRoS. This was a request response from tumblr!

“Stars,” Rey gasped under her breath as she exited the _Falcon_ , taking in the scenery around her.

Numidian Prime was humid, and when you followed her out the heat hit you like a wall. You felt sweat immediately start to gather on the back of your neck. Poe had barely found a clear space to land amongst the thick jungle canopy, but there was just enough clearing near the edge of a large pond. As far as you could see was dense with towering green trees with wide leaves, all kinds of plants in varying shades of blue and green. There were some shockingly bright lilac flowers growing in patches where the trees had not taken over, creating a rather beautiful view. As lovely as it was, the dense forest did not put you much at ease. Anyone could sneak up under the cover of all the trees.

Still, it was hard not to love a place that made Rey’s eyes light up. You didn’t need the force to know she was brimming with curiosity. Everytime your little group landed somewhere that was not a desert planet it was the same reaction from her: absolute wonder. It made you think about what it might feel like for her to look at you like that, with the same awe and enchantment.

“Getting to the outpost is going to take most of the day,” Poe interrupted your thoughts, sauntering down the ramp. “Two of us should stay and make sure no one takes the Falcon.”

You gave him a knowing look that he very purposely ignored. Numidian Prime was the home of several smuggling outposts so it was a good excuse, but you already knew how and _why_ Poe wanted to split the party. He had been your commander for years now and a friend for even longer, he was brilliant but what he was not a subtle man. At all.

Finn bypassed joining the conversation to look around with Rey. They fell into conversation so easily and it made your stomach twist uncomfortably. Not an angry jealousy, just the feeling of dashed hopes. Poe had noticed it too and bit his lip a little. Your little group was close, but there was so much that was always left unsaid -- so many things that were uncertain about dynamics and feelings.

Immediately you said, “I don’t wanna walk through all of that jungle. Why don’t you and Finn go to the outpost?”

“Why do we have to walk through the jungle?” Poe asked.

“So you can get to the outpost and get us supplies.”

“Right, but why do _I_ have to go get the supplies?”

“Because we have to negotiate with lawless smugglers. You’re so charming and savvy, it’s the perfect job for you,” you offered in response. It was a weak attempt to flatter him and he knew what you were doing.

“Damn right,” he muttered and walked away from you then, “let’s go, Finn.”

“I’ll bring you back something!” Finn called out to Rey as he caught up with Poe.

Rey had wandered to the edge of the pond and you were flooded with guilt. Maybe she wanted to see the outpost, maybe she wanted to explore, and you very selfishly denied her that chance. You followed after her, hands sweating and you were sure it was not just the humid air of the planet. The turquoise water looked incredibly refreshing, twinkling in what light made it through the trees, still enough that you could see the bottom. You plopped yourself down at the edge, slipping off your boots and socks, before slipping your feet into the water.

It was not cold, but it was a small relief from the heat around you.

“You don’t like the heat very much, do you?”

Rey’s question brought a little smile to your lips, “I don’t _hate_ it. The humidity is just a little suffocating.”

“I like it,” she said, sitting down next to you and beginning to remove her own shoes. “Jakku is dry heat. Not much grows in it, but these humid planets -- they’re so _green_.”

You think green might be her favorite color, the way she always gasped at the sight of it. You could just ask but being around her made you a little bit stupid, and you were too caught up with not saying something dumb to ask simple questions.

Sometimes it was easy to talk to her. Almost too easy when you began rattling on about what Poe affectionately called “gearhead stuff.” You were, first and foremost, a mechanic and Rey knew so much about ships it was easy to talk to her about what modifications or repairs would keep the _Falcon_ running at its best.

But when it came to personal things? It was a nightmare. You were suddenly the least interesting person in the galaxy. She was probably, no, definitely was the strongest fighter in the Resistance and you tripped over your own feet at least five times a day. You were not even sure why Rey and Poe wanted you on these missions -- but here you were time and time again stumbling over a conversation about the weather and the flora.

It was not just the humid air that made you feel like your clothes were too restricting. So you started removing some. Maybe the water would keep you from bursting into flames. At the very least you could dunk yourself under it to keep from saying something absolutely idiotic to the most amazing girl in the galaxy.

Rey watched with a small, confused frown as you stripped down to the tight bandeau you wore under your uniform and your underwear. You were incredibly aware of how much skin you were suddenly showing but you willed yourself not to think about it, to just slide into the water. When you did, you let out a sigh of relief. You were rippling the surface with your movements, the bottom no longer quite as clearly visible, and the water lapped a little higher at Rey’s exposed ankles.

You dunked your head under, trying to cool the rest of yourself off. It was still under the water, soundless and calm, a nice reprieve from your flustered state. And when you came up for air, Rey was watching you with a sort of alertness in her face that made you nervous -- her eyes trained on you without wavering.

“What’s wrong?” You asked immediately, looking around for a threat.

She looked like she just realized something, then blinking rapidly she gave you a small smile. She shook her head just a little bit. “Nothing.”

It didn’t seem like nothing, but if there was danger she would have let you know. The silence was a little bit awkward and you were about to dunk yourself under the water again to escape it when...

“I can’t swim,” Rey blurted out immediately. “The only water on Jakku is farmed, no where to … learn.” She finished off lamely and you were confused as to why she told you that. “Could you,” she started again, “teach me? Might be good to know if...if I fall in.”

Your eyebrows shot up towards your hairline. **_Don’t answer too quickly, play it cool_** , you reminded yourself. “Of course,” you said, attempting a casual tone.

“Okay.” She gave you _that_ smile. The one that made your heart stop. Just a little nervous, but toothy and excited.

She stood and started unwrapping some of her outer layers, and you politely averted your eyes. Gingerly she stepped into the water once she was down to a pair of thin shorts and a compression top that left the expanse of her stomach on display. Your eyes trailed down to her abs, contracting gently with each breath as she eased her way in, and you had to look away immediately. **_Ogling is rude_** , you reminded yourself, **_don’t be rude_**.

You two were face to face to now, the water coming up to her chest and she looked at you with a grin. “What first?”

“Uh,” you stammered, “let’s practice...floating?”

You had never taught anyone to swim before, but you remembered how you were taught. You guided Rey into leaning back in the water, your arms coming up to support her back and you're pleased to find she trusts you enough to ease back. It was elating, and her skin was soft and slippery in the water. You could feel the muscles in her back shift with every movement.

For a while you stayed there, gently keeping her above water as she got the feel of it. Without saying anything you moved your hands away and her middle sank a little bit, but she didn't panic -- just righted herself again until she was floating on her back by herself.

“It’s quite relaxing,” Rey commented. “Just floating.”

“It is.” You grinned and shifted so you could float with her. When she started floating father away from you instinctively your hand came out to grab hers, keeping the two of you tethered together. “Sorry…” You murmured and began to let go.

Rey didn’t say anything, just grabbed your hand before you could pull away. “No, don’t be.”

Your heart was going to burst out of your chest, you were sure. She gave you a little smile before looking back at the sky through the scattered trees around the pond. The two of you floated there, holding hands until you finally cleared your throat and shifted your weight back to your feet on the squishy bottom of the pond.

“Floating is essential, but you should learn how to get yourself back to land if you ever need to.”

There was only so much you could teach her in one day, but if she could float she wouldn’t drown if she fell into a body of water for whatever reason. That was a comfort to you. And she didn’t panic about being underwater, but she did accidentally get a nose full of water at some point. You couldn’t help but laugh when she sputtered and splashed around in protest to the water in her nose. Teaching her how to tread water was a little ridiculous and you knew you looked crazy: over doing the movements so she could copy, but she picked it up quickly. She picked everything up quickly. She was just so clever and determined.

You weren’t sure how long you were at it but the bright sun was slinking downwards, and the stars were beginning to show through the twilight sky, now becoming a periwinkle color that seemed to just compliment the forest's beauty rather than outshining it. Rey was capable of very slowly chasing you around in the water while you stayed on your feet and tried to slip away from her. You began to move faster now, trying to get her to push herself through the water with more force.

Her eyes narrowed as you got farther and farther away.

“Come on,” you said, with a small challenging smile, “keep up.”

She surged through the water, much too fast for someone who had just learned to swim. You suspected there was some jedi-force-nonsense at play when she came at you before you could think to swim away. Her arms wrapped around your shoulders, legs circling around you so that you carried her weight in the water and you very nearly toppled backwards but the water provided enough resistance that you kept on your feet after a few steps backwards.

But she was close. Very, very close. Close enough that you could start to count the freckles on her face. And she was leaning closer, and closer until your noses bumped to which she breathed a nervous laugh before gently pressing her lips to yours.

It took you a moment to fully process what was happening but your arms snaked around her and when you realized oh, yeah, this is real. Really real. You kissed back eagerly, and she chuckled at you again. But you couldn’t stop.

Of course you both had to break apart for air but the moment you got a breath in she was kissing you again. Her hands playing with the wet strands of your hair and yours wrapped around her like she would disappear if you loosened your grip. This was heaven, you were sure of it, and you had a lot of questions, had she always wanted to kiss you like this?

But something brushed against your ankle and made you feel like you had been submerged in ice. When you broke away to look into the water Rey seemed to notice your panic. “What is it?”

“Something just...touched me?” You said.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean -- AH!” You shrieked as whatever creature it was suddenly wrapped around your ankle -- not tight or painful but you were not about to wait and see if it would _become_ painful.

You, as fast as was possible, rushed through the water towards land. Not letting go of Rey but pushing the both of you forward. She got splashed around a bit, and your journey was not as fast as you wanted it to be because you were up to your chin in water. Once you were half-way out of the pond Rey was heavier than you had grown accustomed to and you stumbled forward onto the ground on top of her.

“Sorry, sorry, sorry,” you breathed trying to untangle yourself.

Rey would have none of it. Laughing the entire time and using all of her strength to keep you close to her on the ground. “Are you alright?” She asked.

“Yeah...something grabbed me and I…” you cringed a little, “panicked.”

Rey chuckled at you again, and you could not find it in yourself to be too embarrassed when it made her laugh. After she got over her amusement at your outburst and you got over being a flustered mess, you just laid there soaking wet together on the ground. The sky darkened by the minute and the forest around you was only illuminated by the bright moon in the sky.

Rey yawned, and you lifted your head to look at her. “Maybe we should dry off… I’ll keep watch for Finn and Poe if you want to rest.”

She shook her head, her smile a little embarrassed, **“I want to stay awake — so this day can keep happening.”**

How could you not lean in to kiss her after she said that? Rey quickly scrambled to straddle your hips with her thighs, lips still pressed firmly against yours. Your hands went to her waist, trying to be respectful even though she was on top of you and -- oh, Stars, how many times had you daydreamed about being in this exact position?

Her hands trailed over your waist, to your hips and there was a hint of a tongue pressing against your lips. You gasped as you opened your mouth, tongue gently trailing over her bottom lip. She sucked in a sharp breath, a renewed fervor in her kiss as she pressed her body closer to yours. Rey’s hand trailed from your hip to your thigh and --

“Hey! Lovebirds!” Poe’s timing was impeccable. When you both broke away in shock to see Poe and Finn standing not too far away he continued, “you’re supposed to be watching the ship!”

Finn was unsuccessfully trying to hide the fact that he was laughing.

Rey looked a little bashful, but grinned as she shrugged a little. “Got distracted.”

“Are you guys wet?” Finn asked with a confused look as he continued to chuckle.

“That is a very inappropriate question, Finn!” You squeaked as your hands came to cover your face. You heard Poe start to laugh then.

“No- NO! I meant -- I was asking --” Finn blustered, looking mortified.

“Y/N was teaching me how to swim.” Rey saved him from an explanation, pulling herself away from you and reaching for her discarded clothes.

“Cute,” Poe said sarcastically, but his little grin gave him away. “That’s still not watching the ship.”

“Ship’s still here, isn’t it?” Rey sassed back.

Poe walked away with a comment made under his breath that neither of you caught, hauling some supplies towards the Falcon of the cart they had brought back with them. Finn quickly retreated from the embarrassing misunderstanding with a bag of what looked like local fruits. You followed Rey’s lead, pulling on your uniform over your still damp underthings. She came up and kissed you sweetly on the lips before walking to help them carry things from the cart and you followed after her once you were dressed. She hoisted up a giant jug of water and smiled, full of mischief that made her eyes sparkle.

“I expect another lesson _very soon._ ”

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to, find me on tumblr: ollypopp.tumblr.com to request. I post all fics there first and post updates about WIP's. Also shenanigans.


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